


i've got a crush on you

by xo_stardust720



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Amused Sam, Awkward Steve, F/M, Fluff, Prompt #4 – Mamihlapinatapei, Romanogers Appreciation Week 2016, amused employees, romanogers - Freeform, romanogers week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-19 16:59:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5974825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xo_stardust720/pseuds/xo_stardust720
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Dude, grow some balls and just talk to her already!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i got a crush on you

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Romanogers Appreciation Week 2016!  
> Prompt #4 – Mamihlapinatapei  
> Is the wordless yet meaningful look shared between two people who both wish to initiate something but are reluctant to start it.
> 
>  _Ooh, I got a crush on you_  
>  _I hope you feel the way that I do_  
>  _I get a rush_  
>  _When I'm with you_  
>  _Ooh, I've got a crush on you_  
>  _A crush on you_  
>  \- Mandy Moore, "Crush"

“You’re totally staring at her… and it’s _so_ not creepy at all.”

Steve flushed with embarrassment, feeling the heat spread all over his body. He tore his eyes away from the redheaded barista at the counter and turned to face his friend that was sitting across from him. Sam Wilson smirked at him over the rim of his coffee cup. Okay, so maybe he was being a _tad_ bit obvious. Who could blame him? Steve was totally and completely smitten with the girl who worked behind the counter. And he didn't even know her name.

“You know, when you asked me if I wanted to hang out, I thought you meant maybe we’d go for a run, kick back a few beers… possibly play a basketball game… anything, really. Just not… this.”

Steve groaned. “I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mislead you or anything… I just… well…” he shrugged helplessly. “I thought it would look weird if I just kept sitting here by myself for a few hours.”

“I get it, man,” Sam nodded. “She’s hot. You’ve been sweet on her for months. Why haven’t you introduced yourself again?”

“Because every time she looks at me, I lose all thought and then I make a fool of myself,” Steve slumped forward onto the table, his head buried in his hands. "She's way outta my league."

 

It all started four months ago when Steve decided to randomly stop at Perk ‘n’ Beans on his way home from work one evening. He’d gotten off late and was just too hungry to bother going home and spend time preparing a meal for himself. And thank the lucky stars that he happened to spot the small shop located just around the corner. Because from the moment he connected eyes with the redheaded woman working behind the counter, he knew he was done for. She was _gorgeous_. The way her green eyes stared at him… It was a connection that he felt instantly, down to the depths of his core. He had never wanted to get to know someone so _badly_ before.

Although, he was pretty sure she thought he was an idiot as he hadn’t exactly made a great first impression. He had never been great with women ( _especially ones he was incredibly attracted to_ ) and of course, fumbled with his words upon their first interaction. As he had stepped up to the counter and she looked at him, he felt an overwhelming sense of panic overtake him and he blurted out the first thing he could think of – which was, “Coffee!” And after an awkward pause, a “Please!” followed it. 

And that was it.

The redhead had smiled and proceeded to fill his order, and he’d been coming into the shop every single day since. Always getting the same thing every time. It was almost an addiction, but it wasn't the coffee he craved.

 

“Man, you don’t even like coffee.”

This is true. Or _was_ true. He was usually more of a ‘tea’ kind of guy. “It’s not so bad,” Steve shrugged, sipping his cup. He placed it back down onto the table. “I’ve gotten used to the taste.”

“Why don’t you order something you actually like?” Sam asked, grinning at his expense. He was entirely too amused for Steve’s liking.

“I told you - Because I always do something stupid whenever she’s around and I can't get the proper words out. My brain just goes blank. Literally, the word 'coffee' is all I can manage.”

“Dude, grow some balls and just talk to her already!”

Steve sighed and flopped forward onto the table.

“Hey fellas, need a refill?” The barista appeared so suddenly, that Steve sat up with an abrupt motion and accidentally knocked over his still half-full cup. He watched with horror as the brown liquid slowly began inching towards the edge of the table and dripping over. God, he wished that the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

“Oh crap!” Steve gasped; pushing his chair back from the table and frantically began reaching for some napkins. He could hear Sam snorting with laughter. “Sorry, sorry!”

"Hey, it's alright." The redhead pulled a cloth that had been dangling from her back pocket, mopped up the coffee and within seconds, the table was clean again. She righted his cup and proceeded to fill it up again from the pot that was clutched in her other hand. She smiled warmly at him, and Steve felt his heart thudding rapidly in his chest. “No harm done.” She filled Sam’s cup and then moved back behind the counter.

"I don't even know how you did that," Sam regarded his friend with a sympathetic look, laughing all the while. “You’ve got it bad for her.”

Steve groaned. “I hate my life.”


	2. i hope you feel the way that i do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She needed to time it just right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! We've got Natasha's POV this time.

“Hey boss,” Darcy poked her head through the doorway of her office. Just outside the door, she could hear the sounds of quiet chatter flowing through the café.

Natasha looked up from her pile of paperwork and regarded her employee with an exasperated look. She loved Darcy, she really did – adored her even. Adored all her employees actually. But she was behind on her inventory _again_ and she still had to make a bunch of calls to try and get someone to come in and fix the leaky sink behind the counter. Not to mention the amount of dishes that were probably piling up. She had expressly emphasized to her employees her displeasure at being interrupted for anything other than an emergency. Which, judging by the look on Darcy’s face, this was anything but.

Her employee was undeterred by her growing impatience though, and instead gave her a saucy wink. “Thought you would wanna know,” Darcy grinned. “Lover boy’s loitering outside the shop again, _casually_ trying to determine if a certain redhead is working before coming in to order his coffee.”

Immediately, Natasha felt her spirits lift and a smile made it’s way to her face before she could stop it. _Oh, screw doing paperwork._ She quickly stood up and checked her reflection in the mirror, smoothing out her hair before flipping it over her shoulder. She turned to Darcy with a grin.

The brunette gave her a thumbs up. “Lookin’ good boss!”

“How long has he been standing out there?” she asked, following Darcy out of her office.

“Pietro noticed him about ten minutes ago, and Wanda says he’s been sitting on the park bench across the street trying to look through the window every minute or so for about five minutes,” Darcy replied. “He’s been pretending to read the newspaper. You really ought to go save him from looking like a creep. It could look really bad if he wasn’t so cute.”

Natasha let out a laugh as she grabbed a cloth from the counter and a cleaning solution spray bottle, and headed over to the tables by the window, under the pretense of cleaning them. She glanced out the window. _Ah, there he is._ And damn, did he look good today. Casually dressed in a simple blue t-shirt and jeans, she watched out of the corner of her eye as he fidgeted. _What a cutie._ She wiped down the table in front of her and smiled to herself, as he spotted her and began making his way across the street towards her café. She moved to the next table and took her time cleaning it. She heard the jingle of the bell, signalling the fact that the door was opening.

_She needed to time it just right._

“Welcome to Perk ‘n’ Beans!” Darcy called from the counter. “Take a seat anywhere you’d like!”

It used to scare her – the feeling she got whenever she was around him, whenever she saw him. She’d had her fair share of bad break ups and perhaps she had been single for too long but she remembered it as clear as day… his blue eyes staring at her, awakening something within her that was so strong that it had freaked her out. There was a connection between the two of them that she had felt instantly. But as time went on, the scared feeling turned into something else… it became _excitement._ And she began looking forward to seeing the blonde man who came into her coffee shop every day. Sometimes he came with a friend, but he mostly came alone. It was quite obvious from the beginning that he’d had a crush on her – he was about as subtle as an earthquake.

He was also shy though. And that endeared him to Natasha more than she cared to admit. He often got flustered around her and even after four months of seeing her every day, he still hadn’t managed to say more than a few words to her. Her staff found it endlessly entertaining, gleefully watching the interactions between the two of them. Never before had Natasha caused such an effect on a person and she found it extremely flattering that she could reduce this man to a stuttering mess with just a smile.

She continued to wipe down the table in front of her. _Three… two… one…_

She straightened and then took a giant step back.

Colliding straight into the blonde man behind her. Strong arms caught her as she stumbled slightly, keeping her upright as she tripped over her own feet. She could feel the heat coming from his chest and hard muscles beneath her. Blue eyes stared into hers, and a warm indescribable feeling overcame her. She blushed.

_Bingo! It didn’t go quite as planned but… ended up with the desired results, right?_

Natasha inwardly grinned, while plastering on an apologetic expression onto her face. “Oh, I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”

 “Yeah,” he replied, the tips of his ears going red. He licked his lips nervously as he let go of her and took a step back. “Are you okay?” he asked, shyly.

“Absolutely, thanks to you,” she flirted, completely enjoying the way he blushed. “Have a seat… do you want your usual?”

He nodded, giving her a boyish grin.

“Alright,” she smiled. “I’ll bring it right over.” She headed back over to the counter, where Darcy and Pietro both stood by the cash register with matching grins as they watched her approach them. Across the café, Wanda stood talking to a customer but managed to catch her eye and gave her a thumbs up. The redhead rolled her eyes. Sometimes her employees were just too obvious. She just hoped that the blonde man wasn't aware of her staff's antics. She would just die of humiliation if he was. 

“That was smooth, boss. It totally looked like an accident,” Darcy held out her fist. “I’m going to have to insist that you bump this.”

Natasha let out an exasperated sigh but bumped her fist with Darcy’s all the same. “I only meant to bump into him,” she was careful to keep her voice low. “I didn’t mean to trip in the process.” She pulled down a mug from where it hung on its hook and proceeded to fill it with coffee.

“Don’t worry,” Pietro assured her. “It looked like he was enjoying it.”

Grabbing a plate and pulling the display case open, she reached in and pulled out a blueberry Danish. “Get back to work you two,” she reprimanded them affectionately as she rounded the counter, both Pietro’s and Darcy’s giggles trailing off as they began to get back to their assigned tasks.

The blonde man glanced up as she approached him. She placed his coffee in front of him, and then placed the plate with the blueberry Danish. “On the house,” she winked at him.

“Uh… um… thanks,” he stammered.

Blue eyes met green. She could feel her heart thudding in her chest, racing rapidly as a warm, fluttery feeling overtook her. It was a few short seconds but felt like a lifetime and she could suddenly see images flashing through her mind of a possible future with this man sitting in front of her. There was a connection between them that couldn't be explained, a pull that lead her towards him every time. She wanted to _know_ him.

“It’s my favorite pastry that we serve here,” she told him. A slow smile spread over her lips. “I hope you enjoy it.”

He held her gaze and smiled. “I know I will.”


	3. i get a rush when i'm with you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearing the end of this story! Just one more chapter left. I've had tons of fun working on this and I'd like to thank everyone that took the time to read this story.

He was late.

Natasha huffed to herself as she stood at the espresso machine filling out an order of four coffees to go. Luckily, the evening rush had just died down and the cafe was empty, save for her, Darcy and Wanda. Her eyes traveled around her shop, glancing out the door every few seconds to see if he happened to be lingering outside as he sometimes did when he couldn’t see her wandering about. Actually, she didn’t really know if he was late considering Blonde Guy came in at random hours every day but she’d had a long day full of grumpy, irate customers and it was already nearing quarter to seven in the evening and she still hadn’t seen his handsome face yet. Their small encounters always made her day – for the past few months, it was all she looked forward too. He usually made it into her shop at least once a day, staying for about a half hour to an hour ( _not that she was keeping track_ ) and she would spend the time revelling in the not-so-discreet glances he gave her, while she pretended not to notice. It had practically become a thing at this point. _Their thing_.

So, _where_ was he?

The door jingled and Natasha was careful to not make any sudden movements as she casually turned in the direction of the front entrance. Disappointment filled her as she saw her best friend and his wife coming through the door. “Oh, hey guys,” her tone of voice was dull and unenthusiastic as she went back to filling her dishwasher with dirty dishes.

“What’s eating you?” Clint asked, taking a seat on a stool at the counter.

She arched an eyebrow. “Nothing Barton. I’m fine.” She pulled down two mugs from where they hung on their hooks and began making the drinks just the way her friends liked them. A chai tea latte for Laura, and an americano misto for Clint.

Beside him, Laura regarded her with a sympathetic look. “Long day, Nat?”

“Among other things,” she replied dryly. Placing the drinks in front of her friends, she threw her dishtowel to the side and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

“Oh, don’t mind her!” Darcy suddenly appeared from the back room, her arms full of packaged coffee beans. She went about filling the display cases, working efficiently as she updated Clint and Laura on her current situation. “She’s just in a funk because Mr. Drop-dead-gorgeous hasn’t come in yet today. He’s usually here in the afternoon, making heart eyes at her while she pretends not to notice but is really actually giving him sly glances in return. Honestly, it would be painful watching him try to talk to Natasha if it wasn’t so damn funny.”

“I still think we should call him Mr. Prince Charming,” Wanda added her two cents as she passed by the counter. “I bet he’s the knight in shining armour type. Natasha’s been staring at the door all day, waiting for him to come in and save her from the throngs of grumpy people.”

“No, he should be Mr. Buns-of-Steel,” Darcy countered. “He’s got a nice ass.”

Wanda shook her head. “Mr. Hot Lips.”

“Mr. Muscleman.”

“Mr. Love Muffin!”

“ _Ooooh_ , that’s a good one!”

“I should fire the both of you,” Natasha sighed as both her employees gave her matching shit-eating grins. Her threat was an empty one and everyone knew it.

“I think you guys should call him Mr. Sexy,” Laura grinned. Clint threw his wife a pointed look. “What?” the brunette shrugged. “You can’t deny that the man is a stud.” Clint harrumphed, then smirked.

“Not you too,” Natasha groaned.

“You mean to tell me Mr. Cutie Patootie still hasn’t asked you out, yet?” Clint asked. “What is up with this guy? It’s been months!” Natasha pointedly ignored Wanda’s snigger from across the café.

“He’s just shy, that’s all!” Natasha defended her crush. “I think it’s sweet. Most of the guys that ask me out are usually morons. This one seems like a gentleman. And Clint? Never say the words ‘cutie patootie’ again. It just sounds weird coming from your mouth.”

“He can barely look at you in the eye,” Darcy pointed out. “I think you’re gonna have to take the reigns on this one. You should get on that, boss.”

She really couldn’t argue with that point. Normally, Natasha never had any trouble getting a date, but with Blonde Guy – it was beginning to look like she would have to take the situation into her own hands and ask him out herself. And the first step to doing so was figuring out Blonde Guy’s name. Which she couldn’t do, _if he didn’t come in._ She glanced at the clock again. It was seven-thirty now.

Not even a minute later, the door jingled and all five of them looked over to the door. In stepped the person that Natasha had spent all day thinking about and right away, a smile appeared on the red head’s face.

Clint turned back to face her. “Hey look, it’s Mr. Dream Boat,” he muttered under his breath. Laura elbowed her husband in the ribs.

She observed him as Wanda lead him to a table that was tucked away in the corner. He was walking with a defeated purpose, almost like he’d had a long and hard day himself. Blonde Guy took a seat and she could see his downcast expression. He leaned forward onto the table, hands clasped together, and she entertained the thought that his face would look so much more handsome with a smile on it. He said a few words to Wanda ( _funny how he didn’t seem to have any trouble talking to her_ ) and then her employee was on her way back up to where the rest of them were.

“He would like his usual plain black coffee and a blueberry Danish,” Wanda announced. “I think you got him addicted to that the last time he came in, Natasha.”

“You should try and talk to him today, boss,” Darcy whispered. “He looks like he could use some cheering up.”

Nodding in agreement, a thoughtful look appeared on Natasha’s face and she grabbed another mug. It was strange how Blonde Guy came in ordering the same drink every time – especially since she was pretty sure he didn’t even like it. In fact, Natasha was willing to bet on the fact that he wasn’t even a fan of coffee _period_. So far, he barely was able to utter full sentences around her… but always asked for coffee as if it was the easiest thing for him to remember while in her presence. He never drank the full cup but always left a generous tip. Plus, there was the fact that he wore his heart on his sleeve – he always, _always_ blushed whenever she smiled at him.

Yeah, she was pretty sure Blonde Guy didn’t come here for the coffee.

Reaching for a plate, she pulled open the display case and pulled out the pastry he’d requested, along with a turkey, brie & apple sandwich. Placing the sandwich onto the grill, she made sure it was warmed up before placing it onto a plate. It was getting to be late in the evening, and he never usually asked for something to eat whenever he came but the fact that he wanted a snack… well, she was betting that he hadn’t had dinner yet either. And that just _wouldn’t_ do. Balancing the coffee mug in one hand and food in the other, Natasha made her way towards the corner where Blonde Guy sat. It was a cozy corner with large bookshelves along the wall and instead of hard wood chairs, there were two green plush seats placed across from one another, a small table separating them - the perfect spot for two potential lovers to get to know one another in a somewhat intimate setting. He glanced up from his cellphone as she approached. “Hi, ma’am,” he greeted, licking his lips nervously.

Natasha blinked, momentarily caught off guard at being called _ma’am_. He just kept surprising her. She found that she rather liked it. She smiled at him, placing the plates down in front of him. “I hope you don’t mind, but I brought you some food – you look like you could eat something other than a Danish. And I changed your coffee order,” she tossed her red hair over her shoulder. “Since you’re one of our regulars, I’m volunteering you to try some of our other drinks that we serve here,” She pushed the mug closer and proceeded to sink down into the chair across from him. “This is a chai tea latte… try it,” she urged. Her heart was pounding rapidly in her chest as their eyes connected. “Anyway, if you don’t like it, I can always bring you the coffee that you asked for.”

His blue eyes stared at her for a moment and then he was reaching for the mug on the table. She watched as he brought it up to his lips and took a sip. She could tell he instantly loved it as he took a larger gulp. “This is delicious! Thank you, and thank you for the sandwich,” he smiled ruefully, placing the mug back down onto the table. “I’m afraid it’s been one of those days where nothing goes right.”

_Poor guy._ Natasha wanted to reach out and hug him but instead, settled an elbow onto the table, her chin resting on the palm of her hand. “Well, I hope things get better for you.”

Blonde Guy smiled. “They already have,” he told her sincerely, the tips of his ears going red.

She let out a small chuckle. “Good, I’m glad that a sandwich and a chai tea latte could cheer you up,” she shifted and folded both her arms onto the table and leaned forward a bit. “So listen, since you’ve become one of our regulars I just wanted to come over here and introduce myself. I’m Natasha. Natasha Romanoff. I own this café.” She held out her hand, her heart pounding rapidly in anticipation.

He reached out and shook her hand, nervous and clammy but still firm at the same time. “Steve Rogers,” he replied, shyly.

_His name is Steve._

“It’s nice to officially meet you, Steve,” Natasha beamed.

They stared at one another and it was a moment that seemed to last a long time and yet, passed to quickly at the same time. And then a loud crash ruined it and Natasha looked over to see that Wanda had accidently knocked over one of the cardboard display cases and packages of coffee beans were all over the ground.

_Damnit._

Natasha sighed. “Guess I better go take care of that,” she stood up regretfully and flashed one more smile at Steve. “Don’t be a stranger, okay Steve?”

She could feel his eyes on her as she turned and walked away.

“I won’t…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like the chance to try and work on other stories that feature Romanogers, so if anyone wants to leave me prompts, please feel free to do so! Thanks :)


	4. Ooh, I've got a crush on you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which, Steve finally has the balls to ask Nat out.

“So, why are we here at 9am on a Sunday morning?”

Steve stopped craning his neck around the café and looked at his best friend. Bucky was glaring at him; still grumpy from the rude awakening Steve had given him earlier that morning when he’d drag him out. His hair was still messy, hidden by the baseball cap that he wore and his clothes were rumpled, like he threw them on haphazardly, in Steve’s haste to get going. And he was nursing his coffee cup like it was a lifeline. Bucky was annoyed at him, no doubt, but like the loyal best friend that he was, he humored Steve and went along with many complaints. Steve felt slightly guilty but not guilty enough that he would be seen alone at Perk ‘n’ Beans again this early in the morning. Today was an important day. He needed all the support he could get. And unfortunately, as much as he knew his best friend was going to tease him about this for the rest of their lives, Bucky had witnessed all his greatest hits (as in most embarrassing moments) and Steve knew that he could count on him to get him through the nerve-wracking situation that this was.

“Because, I need you to make sure I don’t leave this coffee shop without getting a date from Natasha today.”

Bucky had his coffee mug halfway lifted to his lips paused when he heard Steve’s declaration. “Are you serious? You’re finally going to ask her out? Thank the lord. It’s about time.”

“Shut up,” Steve retorted, blushing heavily. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves. His stomach was churning from nervousness at the thought of what he was determined to accomplish that day. His crush on Natasha had finally gotten to a point where he had to _do_ something about it or else he’d go crazy. “I’ve managed to talk to her, haven’t I?”

Bucky threw him a pointed look. “I believe she was the one who introduced herself to you first.”

“Whatever,” he shrugged. “Just make sure I don’t chicken out again.”

“Steve,” Bucky posture straightened and he stared at him with sudden seriousness. “Listen, I get that you’re nervous. But she’s just a woman. If she says no, then it’s her loss. She’ll seriously be missing out. I mean, you actually have flowers with you and everything.”

He glanced down at the small bouquet of white daisies that he’d picked up that morning and thought back to all the times he spent in this café over the last few months. There were times when he thought she was looking at him too. That maybe he wasn’t the only one that felt this unexplainable connection between them. That the attraction was there on both sides. He wasn’t just imagining this, was he? “She’s not just another woman,” Steve swallowed. “I’m pretty sure she’s the one, Buck. It’s hard to explain. It’s like… it’s like she’s the sun.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. It’s like she hung the moon and the stars, as far as you’re concerned,” Bucky remarked. “Well, no woman’s ever got you acting this love-sick before, that’s for sure.”

“Hey guys.”

Both men looked up to see the barista standing before them, coffee pot in hand. The nametag on her shirt read ‘Darcy’ in bold block letters. Darcy smiled at them. “Want a refill?” she asked Bucky.

“Oh god, yes please,” Bucky held out his cup. “It’s too early to be here but Steve made me come.”

“I feel you buddy,” Darcy poured the coffee, and then pulled out a chair at their table, making herself comfortable. “I’m Darcy,” she introduced herself. “Do you want anything?” she asked Steve. “You haven’t ordered anything since you got here. Coffee?”

Steve shook his head. “I’m alright, thank you.” Coffee was just going to make him even more jittery than he already was. He was already nervous enough as it is.

“Okay,” the brunette replied. She nodded towards the flowers on the table, and then glanced at Steve. “Are those for the boss lady?” she asked.

“Uh…” He felt the tips of his ears burning. “Yep,” he managed to reply.

“Way to go, Mr. Muscleman,” Darcy cheered. “It’s about time! The flowers are a nice touch. We’re all rooting for you, you know.”

“What do you mean?” Bucky perked up with interest.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Oh please, we all have eyes. Everyone knows Mr. Muscleman here…”

“Steve,” he interjected.

“Sorry… everyone knows Steve’s got the biggest crush on Natasha here. The two of you have been our entertainment for months… right guys?” Darcy called over her shoulder. The other two employees that worked for Natasha waved at them from their various positions in the café, not bothering to disguise the fact that they were listening in on the conversation.

Bucky laughed and Steve had never been so thankful that it was just the five of them in the shop. He didn’t need anyone else to see his humiliation.

Darcy stood and patted Steve’s shoulder. “Natasha’s supposed to be here any minute now for the mid-morning shift. Keep it simple, big guy. Good luck!”

The brunette walked away and Steve went back to feeling apprehensive. His leg bounced up and down with anticipation and Bucky ginned at him. “It’ll be fine Steve.”

The doors to the café opened and the bells that were installed at the top jingled, signalling someone entering the shop. Steve’s mouth went dry and his heart pounded when a certain redhead stepped through the doors. His hands immediately went clammy and the air felt hot all around him. Natasha looked beautiful today, as she always did. Her hair was down and loose, the curls falling softly around her shoulders. She strode into the café with purpose, carrying a stack of papers with her and a cellphone to her ear, not noticing that he was there waiting for her. He watched her as she finished up her conversation and handed the papers to the male employee that was working the register and she disappeared into her office.

Taking a deep breath, Steve stood up from the table and picked up the daisies.

It was now or never.

The short walk from his table to her office had him nearly crippled with nervousness and fear of rejection. He felt slightly better when he passed by Darcy, who had given him a thumbs up of encouragement but it only lasted a few seconds before the dreaded feeling returned. He reached her office in record time and Natasha was just taking off her jacket as he knocked on her door. She turned, their eyes connected and his breath caught. And he knew. _He knew._

These feelings of his weren’t just one sided.

Natasha was momentarily caught off guard at seeing him standing in the doorway of her office but smiled warmly at him when she recovered. “Hi Steve,” she moved closer to him, close enough that he could smell her perfume. It was incredibly intoxicating. “What can I do for you?”

“Um… ah…” he stammered. His arm rose in front of him and he presented her with the small bouquet that he’d purchased that morning. “These are for you.”

“Oh! You bought me flowers?” Natasha was delighted as she took them from him. She buried her nose in them, smelling them deeply. “How did you know I love daisies?”

Steve blushed and ran a hand through his hair. “Uh… I didn’t. But they reminded me of you, so I got them.”

“They’re beautiful, Steve. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” he licked his lips nervously. “Um, I was wondering… or hoping… Can I… Um… Could I, maybe, take you out to dinner sometime?”

She placed the flowers on her desk and stepped even closer to him. He could feel her body heat radiating from her, she was that close. His heart thudded loudly in his chest and he inhaled nosily when she placed a hand on his chest, gripping the lapels of his jacket to pull him towards her. His hands fell to her hips of their own accord. Natasha stared up at him, smiling. “Why Steve,” she leaned even closer, her eyes on his lips. “I was beginning to think you would never ask and I would have to do things myself.”

The scene registered bit by bit, smaller pieces falling into place to form the bigger picture. Steve’s eyes closed automatically and just went with it. Her mouth was sweet and chaste as it moved against his, then inviting as he touched his tongue to her lips. She lay a hand over his collarbone, followed its slope through the fabric of his jacket. When she reached his neck, his pulse jumped beneath her fingertips. Kissing her felt like heaven and he never wanted to stop.

Steve pulled away, kissing the corner of her mouth as he did so, unable to help himself. He stared down at her and she stared back, their words a jumble in the air between them. He cleared his throat. “So, um, does this mean you’re saying yes to dinner?”

Natasha laughed and held him tighter. “Absolutely.”

And then she kissed him again. This time, Steve didn't pull away.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who left comments and kudos! I had so much fun writing this and will attempt to write more in the future! If anyone wants to leave me prompts, please feel free too! I have a fondness for prompts.. after all, this all started because of the prompts for Romanogers Week! Hopefully, I'll be able to participate more in the future :)

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive comments appreciated! :)


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